A solution-processed ternary copper halide thin films for air-stable and deep-ultraviolet-sensitive photodetector

Recently, the newly emerging lead-halide perovskites have received tremendous attention in the photodetection field because of their intrinsic large light absorption and high well-balanced carrier transport characteristics. Unfortunately, the issue of instability and the existence of toxic lead cations have greatly restricted their practical applications and future commercialization. Furthermore, the previous studies on perovskite photodetectors mainly operate in visible and near-infrared light region, and there are practically no relevant reports aimed at the deep-ultraviolet (DUV) region. In this study, an air-stable and DUV-sensitive photoconductive detector was demonstrated with a solution-processed ternary copper halides Cs₃Cu₂I₅ thin films as the light absorber. The proposed photodetector is very sensitive to wavelengths of light below 320 nm and unresponsive to the visible light. Because of the high material integrity and large surface coverage of the Cs₃Cu₂I₅ thin films, the detector presents an outstanding photodetection performance with a photoresponsivity of ∼17.8 A W^-1, specific detectivity of 1.12 × 10¹² Jones, and fast response speed of 465/897 μs, superior to previously reported DUV photodetectors based on other material systems. Unlike traditional lead-halide perovskites, the lead-free Cs₃Cu₂I₅ shows remarkable stability against heat, UV light, and environmental oxygen/moisture. Thus, the unsealed photodetector demonstrates good operation stability for 11 h of continuous running in open air. Even after 80-day storage in ambient air, its photodetection capability can nearly be maintained. The results suggest that non-toxic Cs₃Cu₂I₅ could be a potential candidate for stable and environment friendly DUV detectors, enabling an assembly of optoelectronic systems in the future.